An Ebury Press bookPublished by Random House Australia Pty LtdLevel 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060www.randomhouse.com.au

First published by Ebury Press in 2011

Copyright © Darren Lockyer 2011

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia.

Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at www.randomhouse.com.au/offices

National Library of AustraliaCataloguing-in-Publication Entry

Lockyer, Darren. Darren Lockyer: an autobiography/Darren Lockyer.

ISBN 978 1 86471 273 5 (hbk.)

Lockyer, Darren. Rugby League football players – Australia – Biography.Rugby League football – Australia – Biography. Rugby League football – Australia – Anecdotes.

796.3338092Cover portraits by Pedro VirgilCover design by Luke Causby/Blue CorkInternal design by Midland Typesetters, AustraliaTypeset in Minion Pro 12.5/18.25pt by Midland Typesetters, AustraliaPrinted in Australia by Griffin Press, an accredited ISO AS/NZS 14001:2004 Environmental Management System printer

Random House Australia uses papers that are natural, renewable and recyclable products and made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The logging and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

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Contents

‘Locky’s Last Goodbye’ by Rupert McCall ixForeword by Wayne Bennett xi

Prologue 1 Chapter One: In the Beginning 12Chapter Two: The Gold Miner – Cyril Connell 27Chapter Three: The Early Years 36Chapter Four: Racetrack to Real Estate 56Chapter Five: The Pinnacle 70Chapter Six: The Times They Are a-Changin’ 95Chapter Seven: Dreams Really Do Come True 116Chapter Eight: Coach 144Chapter Nine: Friends, Foes, Fun 169Chapter Ten: The Deal That Changed the Game 185Chapter Eleven: In Need of Direction 207Chapter Twelve: Reforming the Family 228Chapter Thirteen: Brave Sam 254Chapter Fourteen: My Life 262Chapter Fifteen: Rebuilding the Maroons Legend 283Chapter Sixteen: What Tomorrow May Bring 302Epilogue 318

Acknowledgements 337Statistics 341

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ix

Locky’s Last Goodbyeby Rupert McCall

I went for many reasons when, at last, the moment came More than just to say ‘I witnessed Locky’s final game’ More than just to honour his incredible career And revel in the shiver of that curtain-closing cheer The brilliance of his legacy alive in every stat There was bound to be emotion, but I went for more than that I went for more than fanfare . . . I went for more than praise Beyond the recollection of his early Bronco days The bandy blond-haired Roma boy who set the turf alight As an undisputed golden-booted fullback in full flight To the making of a genius packing all the magic tricks When, again, he ruled the battlefield, but this time wearing 6 So many times responding to the pressure of the roar His composure quite colossal, still, I went for something more A loyal one-club team man and a journeyman untold A stand-alone in proud maroon – a gun in green and gold Every trophy-raising triumph – every title – every cup

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A warrior of courage – knock him down, he gets back up I went for more than knowing this and standing to applaud A man of true humility collectively adored In the gaze of those around me, I could feel the admiration So many here to see him off – to own the inspiration Every priceless memory unravelled in their eye There was something in the gravel of his raspy last goodbye Something that was welling in the hearts of grown men It was hard to think we’d never see his pin-point pass again Never laud his left foot roost, his balance and his speed Never toast his poise and his ability to lead Yet never, on the same hand, would the football world forget Greatness shines forever in the names of some we’ve met . . . Yes I went for many reasons when, at last, the moment came But the most important reason why I went to see that game When the full-time whistle echoed out and all was said and done The truth defines a simple fact – I went to take my son Because the day he put a Darren Lockyer poster on his wall Was the day his father quietly smiled and stood so very tall

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xi

Foreword by Wayne Bennett

I am on the record many times dismissing the assertion that footballers or other elite sportsmen and sportswomen are ‘role models’ for our youth, because I strongly believe that responsibility lies with parents and family.

But there is an exception to every rule, and Darren Lockyer is that exception.

The example he sets in every aspect of his life, on and off the sporting field, is one to which all young people could aspire if their desire is to live a rewarding life achieving their potential.

But Darren is an enigma. By nature he is shy, modest to a fault and happiest when he is sitting alone in a corner watching friends have a great time.

He does not need to be the centre of attention, the life of any party.

He is a perfectionist to the point of obsession, whether

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DARREN LOCKYER

it is combing his hair or passing a football, but he is strong-minded enough to not allow this trait to completely dominate his life.

Throw all that into the mix, and it is understandable for you to ask how it adds up to a brilliant athlete, a leader of men, and a fierce competitor in what is the toughest sport of all – rugby league.

I think it is because Darren has developed the intellectual capacity to balance his life. He can recognise when he needs a break, needs a night out, or just needs to get away from it all and spend quiet time with his family. People who compete at his level need that. Put bluntly, he knows himself well, knows his limitations, and is content with just ‘being Darren’.

I am regularly asked to identify the qualities that made Darren the champion footballer also the great leader of his state’s and nation’s football teams for almost a decade. This has been one of his outstanding achievements, because he was not born with leadership qualities or aspirations. He just wanted to do the best he could and not be the centre of attention.

But he had the captaincy of the Broncos, Queensland and Australia thrust upon him, and typically he considered what was required to fulfil the position, took advice from those he trusted and accepted the challenge. The biggest change was to his own personality. A captain of an elite sporting team cannot expect to just lead by example. He has also to speak out, demand performance, inspire, be involved in game and personality analyses, and be the public face of the

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xiii

Foreword

team, handling criticism in those times when things are not going well.

This was anathema to Darren, but he made himself change. He accepted the challenge, and history shows what a success he made of it.

What has most impressed me about Darren is his sportsmanship. He has never been sin-binned or sent off for foul play, never been penalised for arguing with a referee’s decision, never been suspended and never thrown a punch on the field.

His sportsmanship has been unparalleled in my coaching career. Nobody ever tries to cheap-shot Darren Lockyer because these players have played with and against him many times, and they respect him too much to stoop to such conduct.

Youngsters – anybody for that matter who wants to better him or herself – should read this book and learn what makes Darren tick. The Darren Lockyer way is to do your best on and off the field, and that is all he has ever done – his best.

That is his legacy to sport, and to us all.

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1

Prologue

‘I was at a crossroads in my career. Where I am today

in my life and so much of the career I have enjoyed

can be traced back to that one specific play in one

game.’

– Darren Lockyer

24 May 2006State of Origin I Telstra Stadium, Sydney

Walking from the field in Sydney that night, I knew what was coming. There would be calls for heads to roll and I knew mine would be at the top of many lists. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the beginning of the end of my representative rugby league career. It ate at me for weeks.

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DARREN LOCKYER

Blues fans will remember halfback Brett Finch as the hero of the night. Called in just 24 hours before kick-off, Finchy slotted a 40-metre field goal in the 80th minute to seal New South Wales a 17–16 win in front of a big home crowd.

The final margin flattered us and I knew it.The sound of the full-time siren hit me like a well-

aimed body blow in the solar plexus from Lennox Lewis – I actually doubled over for a moment.

As a team, we had played really poorly, exacerbating the frustration and disappointment that losing any Origin match brings.

But, beyond that, I considered the team’s below-par performance was a massive failure on my part. My play was poor, my captaincy was worse.

The game was Mal Meninga’s first as head coach. He had taken on a role no one else wanted, given the dominance of the Blues in the preceding years. With Fittler, Buderus and/or Johns working behind a huge, mobile pack of forwards, New South Wales rolled to victory in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Some of the comments in the build-up to game one suggested both the Blues players and many within the southern media saw the 2006 series as a cakewalk into the history books – the first side to win four State of Origin series on the trot.

It was only at the behest of his fellow former Origin greats (FOGS) that Mal agreed to take the reins from Michael Hagan, who had stood down after two years in charge of the Maroons, citing the need to concentrate on his club commitments. Without the baggage of an NRL side to worry about, Big Mal threw himself into the role, travelling to all 16 clubs to meet

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Prologue

with the Queenslanders at each. He employed a network of fellow former Origin stars or ‘mentors’ to liaise with the current players on a regular basis and report back to him.

Shortly after he’d accepted the job, Mal rang me. He wanted to meet for coffee at a café not far from Suncorp Stadium to discuss his plans and ideas for what he called the ‘re-education’ of young Queensland rugby league players. Mal felt modern players had lost touch with what State of Origin football meant to people north of the Tweed. A history lesson was needed to re-ignite the flames of passion which had been so vital to Queensland’s success in the 1980s.

Despite being in his mid-40s Mal’s physical stature remained as imposing as ever. The sheer size of the man, coupled with his standing as a rugby league great – an Immortal in fact – gives him a unique presence wherever he goes. That ensured the passion with which he spoke about the Maroon jersey resonated with me, more so than it would have coming from almost anyone else. What probably surprised me and impressed me most, though, was the way in which Mal was able to integrate the emotions which were so central to the ‘old-school’ Origin camps with the professional, modern preparation he and assistant Neil Henry had devised. Mal had a vision about the sort of environment he wanted to create not just for the 17 Maroons, but also for those on the fringe. Early in the season, he gathered 35 Maroons hopefuls together for what amounted to an orientation. There, we established the principles we live by every day in camp. The list of these principles was – and still is – posted on walls around our

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DARREN LOCKYER

pre-game camps. They are given to the young guns in the Emerging Origin and Queensland Academy of Sport development systems. As well as forming the philosophy for how we wanted to be seen off the field, they were central to what we wanted to do on the field as well:

T RUST E FFORT A GGRESSION M ATESHIP

More personally, Mal made a point of seeking my advice on everything from the camp program to the actual game plan. He sought my input and approval on a regular basis, as he did with Petero Civoniceva and Steve Price. He wanted us to take greater ownership of the team. Of course, assuming greater ownership of a team is a double-edged sword. While the spoils of victory provide a greater sense of satisfaction, you also shoulder much more blame for a poor showing by the team.

I could barely lift my head during the long walk back to the visitors’ dressing-rooms, deep in the bowels of the Olympic Stadium. I knew I had let Mal down. I had let my team-mates down. I had let myself down and I knew what was coming. In 20 years of rugby league, I had played my share of shockers but I couldn’t remember ever being more upset with myself than I was after that night.

Johnathan Thurston had been so dominant at North Queensland and, given he was still pretty raw, subcon-

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Prologue

sciously we both made the decision to step back and let each other do what we do best rather than have each other worry about trying to change our games. However, by taking that attitude, we both ended up waiting for the game to come to us. The speed Origin football is played at makes that almost impossible and, sure enough, before I knew it the game was over. Not only had I gone away from the game plan Mal had outlined for me, in doing so I had let the team structures crumble.

It was one–nil Blues and predictably the knives came out. While I knew the criticism was inevitable, the amount and intensity caught me off-guard. I remember Phil Gould wrote that Queensland needed to sack me. I have had very little to do with Gus over the course of my career, but certainly respect his standing in the game and his opinion – even if I don’t always agree with it. Gus’s ability to analyse and dissect a game is second to none. At the time, I was already hurting and he certainly didn’t hold back on what he saw as some glaring and irreparable problems with my game.

He wasn’t alone in calling for my head and, knowing the firestorm that was going on, I made the conscious decision to keep my head out of the papers. Instead, I poured every waking ounce of energy and focus I had into my preparation for game two. It was the only way I knew how to deal with what was in front of me. I am not and have never been someone who goes out and seeks advice or reassurance from others. Whether it was on the football field or in my personal life, I have always enjoyed

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DARREN LOCKYER

problem-solving and the challenge of finding my own way through the process. More often than not in my football career, the search for an answer begins (and oftentimes finishes) at training.

In my own mind, I knew I had better in me. I knew what I had to do to put things right in game two. The coach, however, wasn’t so sure and in the week before naming the squad for game two in Brisbane, Mal told me he wanted to shift me back to fullback. I was adamant that wasn’t the answer and told Mal so, but he wasn’t prepared to let it rest. He told me straight out that he had concerns about my ability to implement the style of play he needed at five-eighth, which was vastly different to what I was doing at the Broncos. In technical terms, at Brisbane we were playing a lot from the scrum and using two-pass shifts. In the more physical confines of Origin football, Mal wanted to play more midfield and split JT (Thurston) and me either side of the ruck. Mal kept at me, questioning whether I could make the necessary adjustments, and it started to get under my skin. I needed him to show some faith in my ability to get the job done and I told him so. I felt he and the other selectors should either pick me at five-eighth or not pick me at all. When the team was released the following Monday, Karmichael Hunt was named to make his Origin debut at fullback and I was named at number six.

The work we did on the track ahead of game two was near perfect. There was a real focus in everything we worked on and we played accordingly. We lost Greg Inglis – whose two-try effort almost single-handedly kept us in game

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Prologue

one – but it caused barely a ripple within the camp. Adam Mogg – considered by most people as a bit of a journeyman footballer – stepped straight in and played the game of his life. The focus of the group was unshakable. Mal had been at pains to point out to us from the moment we arrived in camp that we had played well below our best yet fell only a point short. He also pushed home the need to reclaim Suncorp Stadium as a fortress for Queensland teams. His call for fans to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the visiting Blues was answered in kind. The fans that night were as loud as I have ever heard them. They knew – as we did – how much that game meant to State of Origin football.

In the end, it was a romp. Our forwards completely dominated their big men in the middle of the park. JT and Cameron Smith were outstanding controlling the play. It was a sign of the combination I believe has been the key to Queensland’s subsequent dominance of Origin football. They looked poised and calm and their confidence was infectious. The final score was 30–6, but it could have been more. We played outstandingly and, while I took home the man-of-the-match award that night, half a dozen other team-mates had equally justifiable claims.

And so we came to game three.Unfortunately a lot of the confidence we – or perhaps I

should say I – had taken from the performance at home in game two was lost by the fact that we had to make a host of changes. Clinton Schifcofske, Rhys Wesser, Josh Hannay and Nate Myles all came into the side. Our backline had to be totally reshuffled and without Karmichael, Steve Bell,

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8

DARREN LOCKYER

Justin Hodges and Greg Inglis, questions were being raised about whether we had the necessary strike power to beat the Blues down in Melbourne.

I have never prepared more intensely for a game – at any level – than I did that week leading into game three in Melbourne. I knew what was on the line, not just for me but for the concept of Origin football, which I loved so dearly.

But the best laid plans can come unstuck in a hurry, particularly on a rugby league field. In contrast to game two, everything seemed to be going against us in the decider. The first 60 minutes was a mixture of blown chances by us and – as so often happens when things aren’t going your way in general play – some horrible calls from the officials. The frustration of the boys was obvious – and in no one more so than JT.

JT’s onfield persona is much like Gorden Tallis. They both wear their hearts on their sleeves. They give absolutely everything and are just so passionate and so competitive they can’t help but let things spill over sometimes.

I thought JT was going to absolutely explode when Eric Grothe was awarded a try midway through the second half, despite a blatant knock-on in the lead-up. He was standing there behind the line, head down, saying things about the match officials which won’t make it past the editors of this book, so I won’t even try. Suffice to say, he wasn’t impressed.

And neither was I. We hadn’t got a call all night. But I knew how important JT was to this team and I just felt the game wasn’t over. We were down 14–4, but I knew I had to

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9

Prologue

give the boys some hope. As captain, that was what my job was at that moment. I told JT to lift his head. I don’t talk or rant and rave too much as a captain, but in that moment I called them all in and just said: ‘There is still time to win this game. We’re Queenslanders, we don’t f***ing give up.’

Fittingly, it was JT who then made the decisive play. With 10 minutes to go, he got the ball inside our 20-metre area and put one of his trademark steps on Luke O’Donnell and just took off. As the defenders closed in, he fed the ball to Brent Tate, who played one of the games of his life that night. This was Brent Tate before a lot of his knee problems and he had some serious wheels on him back then. When he took the ball, it was all over – the chasing pack never looked like putting a glove on him. I still consider that one of the great Origin tries.

The try was converted, so there we were, still down by two points with eight minutes left on the clock.

In that situation when the stakes are so high, I am a strong believer in playing field position and pressure. I wanted to put the ball deep into New South Wales territory and force them to carry it out. There are two reasons you do this. First, length-of-the-field tries late in the game are tough. Everyone is tired and finding the fresh legs that are going to carry the ball 100 metres can be extremely difficult. Second, and most importantly, pressure does funny things to people. When you are tired and the game is on the line and you have a crowd of 50 000 people screaming at you, your decision-making process often gets compromised and you do things you wouldn’t normally do.

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10

DARREN LOCKYER

So I kicked the ball deep, where it was gathered on the 10-metre line by Eric Grothe. From the ensuing play-the-ball, the Blues fullback laid it off to one of his centres to bring it back upfield. Brett Hodgson is one of the toughest, safest fullbacks I ever played against. If he threw 1000 passes out of dummy-half, 999 of them would hit the designated target in the breadbasket. But with five minutes to go in an Origin decider, Hodgson’s ball sailed high, well beyond Matt King’s desperate lunge. I was pushing up hard in defence with the rest of the team and just happened to be in the right place at the right time: the ball bounced up perfectly for me and I scooted through to score a try. Half their team was still making their way back and I got a bit lucky. There were New South Wales players either side of the loose ball, but I was screaming through and had the momentum working in my favour.

I have always believed that if you are prepared to work hard you will get the rewards. When Petero and Tunza (Tonie Carroll) came through and hugged me, I remember thinking about all the work I had put in since game one. I still believe that was the Big Fella upstairs giving me a bit of a reward for all that.

It was a surreal feeling. There were only two minutes to go, so we were never going to lose it from there. The final score was 16–14, and we had finally won another Origin series. Lying in bed the night before the game, I had let my mind wander a bit . . . which is not like me. I had started to think about what I might say if we won – how I would feel lifting that famous Origin shield above my head. But when

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11

Prologue

the moment came, the siren sounded and Grothe kicked the ball out to end the contest, everything just sort of stopped. I looked around at the crowd and at my team-mates. It was an indescribable high.

I found Petero and he grabbed me and said, ‘How good is this!’

That’s all I could think: how good is this!

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